Tractor-trailer hitch



May' 28, 1946- s. F. ARMINGTON ETAL TRACTOR-TRAILER HITGH Filed Jan. 21, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ilia 25.5 /f ,Qa N

ATTOR/VE .5

May28,1946. sfF. ARMINGTQN Erm. 2,401,036

TRACTOR-TRAILER HITCH Filed Jan. 21, 1944 's sheets-sheet s i@ NVf'A/T .STEWART ARM/Ncro/v WALTER F.' Dol/BLE Br /L/ A TTORNE YS Claims.

Patented May 28, 19.46

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TRACTOR-TRAILER BITCH l Stewart F. Armington, Willoughby, and Walter F.

Double, Wickliife, Ghio, assignors to The Euclid Road Machinery Co., Euclid,

tion oi h10 Ohio, a. corpora- Application January 21, 19544, Serial No. 519,090

This invention relates to a novel hitch for a trailer vehicle mounted directly upon the axle of a tractor vehicle so that a light duty tractor may be utilized for heavy duty hauling.

An object of the present invention is to provide g `a heavy dutyaxle on a tractor device normally designed for light duty only, withhitch `means for a trailer vehicle mounted directly upon the heavy duty axle.

Another object of the present invention is to provide cushioning` means between the trailer vehicle and an axle of a tractor vehicle, together with cushioning means independent of the tractor device for resiliently carrying the trailer load on the tractor axle.

Another object of the present invention is to so mount a trailer device and its hitch means with respect to the axle of a tractor device that the movements ofthe trailer device are transmitted through the axle to the ground without stresses `and strains following upon the usual springs and wheels ofthe tractor device.

Our invention has the further object of providing hitch means directly between a trailer and an axle of a tractor with proper provision for all movements of the trailer which may occur in oi the highway-hauling duty without placing any strain on the tractor parts other than the said axle.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and speciication and the essential features thereof will be set forth in the appended In the drawings,

, Fig. 1 is an elevational view showing our novel combination of a light duty tractor and a heavy duty trailer, with a portion of the rear end of the tractor broken away to more clearly disclose the arrangement;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the rear portion of Fig. 1;

2 claims. (c1. 28o-33.1)

Fig. 8 is a fragmental sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 6; while Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken along the line M9 of Fig. 7. l

We have discovered that light duty commercial highway trucks may be adapted for heavy duty hauling eitheron or oif the highway. Normally the light duty highway truck of the type we have in mindis designed for loads of the order of one and a half tons, and obviously, if heavy loads were carried onsuch commercial trucks, they would break down immediately or after a very short life. Our invention contemplates the i substitution of a heavy duty axle on the highway truck and the mounting of a. heavy duty trailerl by suitable hitch means directly upon the heavy duty axle so that this axle takes all the punishment of the heavy load, relieving the tractor of all such load save for the pulling4 of the same.

`In Fig. 1 -we have shown a tractor device having a frame Hl mounted on front wheels i l having the usual light dutyl axle mountings usually pro. vided in such cases and having the usual coml `mercial engine under the conventional hood i2.

The rear springs indicated at I3 are those usually utilized to mount the vrear end of frame lil-upon the usual light commercial truck wheel and axle means. vIn place of this usual rear wheel and axle means we have substituted the heavy duty axle I4 in a manner presently described. Di-

rectly upon this heavy duty axle is mounted the hitch means indicated generally at l5 and this provides the soie support for the forward end of a heavy duty trailer vehicle indicated at i6. It should be understood that the vehicle here shown is of the general type disclosed in United States Letters Patent 2,233,193, granted February 25, 1941 to George E. and Stewart F. Armington, but

` other trailer devices may be used in the same Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional viewtaken along taken along the line 1-1 of Fig. 63 i A manner. For instance, whereas the vehicle I6 is a bottom dump hauling wagon, there could be substituted a side dump or a rear dump hauling wagon. Another trailer device which could be used in place of the dump wagon I6 would be the scraper disclosed in United States LettersPatent 2,304,786, granted December 15, 1942 to Stewart F., Raymond Q. and George E. Armington.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 5, as showing in greater detail the construction of Figs. 1 and 2, a heavy duty axle construction indicated generally at I4 is substituted for the usual light duty axle of the commercial truck. This axle may be of the general type disclosed in United States Letters Patent 2,222,697, granted November 26,

1940, to StewartF. Armington and Virgil L. Snow, Y f

, Within the housing are the axles wheel I1. Preferably, between l `The portion I3a with the light commercial truckl spring I3,

the truck frame I0. I9 and 20 which not shown, with the the axle I9 and the wheel I1 reduction gearing is provided as shown in the above mentioned patent. This is advisable because the wheels I1 are of a type to carry a heavy duty tire 2l. These tires are low pressure tires of large diameter, say of the order of ve or six feet. These tires are able to carry the heavy axleand theheavy trailer load and give better tractive eort when the going is rough or slippery. The usual drive shaft of the commercial truck is indicated schematically at 22, Fig. 3, and isdriven by the engine under the hood l2 in the usual manner.' These parts are so well known that further showing of the sameis-deemed unnecessary. On opposite sides of the central or banjo portion I8a of the housing I8 (in which is housed the usual differential driving mechanism) are provided cylindrical housing portions |817. Surrounding these cylindrical housing portions which in turnis mounted on have driving connections,

. are/resilient rings 23 of rubber or the like. Preferably, these resilient rings are mounted on the housing by means of annular metal bushings 24.

Each of the rubber rings is clamped between a semi-circular bracket portion 25a and a semicircular cap 26. Bolts 21 hold these parts in em- `bracing position and clearance is provided between the halves Yof ring 24 and between the parts 25a and 2liV so that wear may be takenup. It will be noted from Fig. that the ring 23 has a portion cut away as shown at 23a, so that the same may be slipped over the cylindrical housing portion lb. The free ends of the rubber ring are held in suitably formed pockets 26a of the member 26.

25a mentioned above, which is clamped on the resilient ring 23,r forms the lower part of a bracket 25 which comprises a bottom wall 25h and two side walls 25e which converge upwardlyas best seen in Fig. 3 so as to form a generally triangular bracket; The front and rear faces of the bracket are closed by'means of plates 25d. At the upper end or apex of the bracket 25 are provided spaced sleeves 25e through which passes a, horizontally positioned pivot pin 28.

A second bracket `29 comprisesintegrally joined horizontal sleeve 29a. and vertical sleeve 29h.

' Sleeve 29a is provided with openings` alined with the sleeves 29e so that the pin 28 serves to connect together the brackets 25 and 29. Suitable bushings 30 are provided between the pin 28 and the sleeves 25e and 29a. Mounted on the bracket 29 is the drawbar 3i rigid with the trailer vehicle I6. This drawbar carries a sleeve 32, and pivot pin 33 floating type wherein v I8 is connected by bolts from the action in pulling the trailer. or from thrust of the trailer toward the tractor or from applying the brakes, or from the vehicle weight. In this way all of the load reactions from the trailer are insulated from the tractor springs I3. Of course these tractor springs do have to take the driving torque of the tractor and do have to vtake the fore and aft thrusts which vare caused Relative turning movement between the tractor and trailer is provided by the vertically disposed pivot pin 33. Such turning movement is limited only bythe tractor striking the trailer when it'has turned past the 90 point.

In Figs. 6 to 9 we have shown a modied form of our device wherein similarly numbered parts are like those previously described. Here again, wheels I1, carrying large tires 2i, are mounted on. the rigid axle housing I8 within which are the driving axles I9 which are drivingly connected with thedrive shaft 22 of the commercial truck. The usual light truck springs i3 are connected with the truck frame Il) and the housing I8 is connected with the springs i3 by means of bolts I3a. On opposite sides o the banjo portion ia of the housing are provided cylindrical portions I8b`on the housing I8. The hitch means indicated generally at 31 is mounted for oscillation about the cylindrical portions I3b by means best shown in Figs. 6 and '1.

Next to the cylindrical portions i812 are semicircular bushing members 38, one of which is provided with openings for oiling as indicated at 38a. `Clampingly embracing this bushing are the substantially semi-circular portion 39a of bracket 39 and a mating semi-circular cap 40. These parts are clamped vtogether by the bolts 4I. A slight clearance is indicated between the semi-circular portions so that wear may be taken up when y necessary. This construction is identical on both sides of the center line so that one only need be described.

The bracket 39 comprises two generally parallel channel or box beam members 42, each one lying substantially directly over one of the semii members 42. The members 42 are rigidly cross passes through sleeves 32 and 29h. The pin 33 is held in sleeve 29h by set screw 34 (Fig. 3) and the parts are held together by a nut or ring 35 held on pin 33 by means of the securing pin 36.

It will be noted from the various views that the' hitch means trunnions generally about the axle i9. In this waythe load is centeredon the axle so that there is no reaction'on the truck springs either from the weight of the trailer vehicle or of cross shape as best seen connected by a reinforcing angle 45 at the front and 41 at the rear. This provides avery strong unitary bracket.'

Each member 42 carries a heavy duty leaf spring 48. The main leaf of each spring at the front end embraces a pin 49 held between ears 42a of the member 42. ,Each main leaf spring at the rear end embraces a pin 50 which is mounted in a e shackle 5i which in turn is pivotally connected to the member l2 by the pin 52. y

Above the springs 48 isa bracket 53 generally in Fig. 8. The lateral by a nut or collar 62 which is pinned in arenoso wardly and rearwardly extending arms 53h of bracket b3 integrally or rigidly support the sleeve members 53o through which passes the horizontally disposed pivot pin b5.

Another bracket E5 comprises the rigidly connected sleeve portions 56a and 56h which extend at right angles to each other. The portion 56a is bored to receive the pin 55. Thus, the brackets t and b3 are connected together along a horizontal axis. Suitable bushings 5l are interposed between the sleeves 'c, Eta( and the pin 5b.

A vertically disposed pivot pin bd serves to connect bracket 56 with the drawbar be of a trailer vehicle. This drawbar carries a sleeve` tu, the

`opening of which is alined with the opening of sleeve 55h. Pin 5u passes through both of these sleeves and is held in sleeve btb by means of the set screw di (Fig. 6).- The parts are held together place by pin @3.

It results from the above construction that a result is obtained very like that described in connection with the :rst modiilcation. Movements of the trailer vehicle which tend to cause oscillation of the hitch means 3l in a vertical plane at right angles to housing i3 are accommodated by oscillation of the hitch generally about the cylindrical housing portions ib. Such movements are cushioned by the springs d8. Lateral oscillations of the trailer vehicle are accommodated in part through the movement of springs 48 and in part by movement of the hitch about the horizontally disposed pin 55. Relative turning movement between the tractor vehicle and the trailer vehicle is accommodated bythe vertically disposed pin 53. i

It will be noted that in Figs. 3 to 5 rubber or other resilientmaterial provides a cushioning effect located adjacent the housing I8. In the modiilcation shown in Figs. 6 to 9 the leaf springs 48 provide the cushioning effect and they are located between two of the interconnected brackets of the hitch means. These two embodiments are and aft and side to side movements, all of course capable of sustaining the heavy loads involved.

One of the advantages oi' using the heavy duty axle here disclosed is thatsteering by braking may be utilized where desired. In the various views the brakes are not shown but are on the usual location, that is to say, brake drums are provided adjacent each wheel Il. The power actuators for the brakes are shown at 64 in Fig. 2

and are connected to the members -65 and 66 of Figs. 3 and 6 respectively, itbeing understood that one is provided for each wheel. This feature assists in turning sharp corners and in getting through bad ground conditions. What we claim is: n

1. In combination, a tractor, wheel means for said tractor, drive axle means for said wheel means, a rigid axle housing supported by said wheel means, a drive shaftnormal to said axle means, a trailer, said housing having substantially cylindrical portions on opposite sides of said drive shaft, a bracket having substantially circular portions surrounding and embracing and oscillatable upon said cylindrical portions, two parallel leaf springs extendingin a fore-and-aft direction and having their ends mounted on said bracket, one spring over yeach'of said circular portions, a second bracket mounted on the central portions of said leaf springs, a third bracket above said second bracket, a pin extending in a fore-and-aft direction and pivotally connecting said second and third brackets, a vertically extending pin in said third bracket, and said last named pin pfiv,

otally connecting said third bracket to said trailer.

2. In the combination of a tractor having a substantially rigid rear axle housing and a trailer, said housing having a cylindrical portion, hitch means comprising a nrst bracket embracing said .i cylindrical portion and oscillatable thereupon,

leaf spring means extending in a fore-and-aft direction and having its ends mounted up'on said bracket, a second bracket mounted on the midportion of said spring means, a third bracketabove said second bracket, pivot means extending in a fore-and-aft direction and pivotally connecting said second and third brackets, and vertically extending pivot means carried by said third bracket and connecting' the latter withv said trailer.

' STEWART F. ARMINGTON.

WALTER F. DOUBLE. 

